Damn the Weather
Gin, sweet vermouth, orange juice and a little orange curaçao, shaken. A Savoy-era drink for a rainy afternoon — a Bronx with curaçao, and better than the Bronx.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Chill a coupe.
Add the gin, sweet vermouth, orange juice and curaçao to a shaker.
Fill with ice and shake hard for 10 seconds.
Double strain into the chilled coupe and garnish with an orange slice.
A thoughtful finish
- Fresh orange juice; the drink is nearly a third orange and carton juice flattens it.
- A quarter-ounce of curaçao is the Savoy's three dashes made generous; more and it is sweet.
- A juniper-forward gin keeps it from being a juice drink.
Common mistakes
- Dry vermouth; that is the Bronx.
- Too much orange juice; it is a modifier here.
- Stirring; the juice wants the shake.
A few good questions.
What is the difference between Damn the Weather and a Bronx?
Curaçao in place of the Bronx's dry vermouth. It is sweeter and more orange.
Why the name?
Presumably the London weather. The Savoy gave no other explanation.
Can I use blood orange?
Yes, and it is excellent — the drink turns pink and a little sharper.
Up or on the rocks?
Up, as the Savoy served it; over ice it becomes a pleasant long drink with soda.
Variations
- Bronx — Gin, two vermouths and orange juice.
- Martinez — Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth and maraschino.
- Blood and Sand — Scotch, cherry liqueur, vermouth and orange.
- Garibaldi — Campari and orange juice.
Where it comes from
c. 1930 · London · Savoy Hotel
Damn the Weather is in the Savoy Cocktail Book of 1930 — gin, Italian vermouth, orange juice and three dashes of curaçao, shaken — and the name is the only explanation anyone has offered for it: a drink to order when the London rain had settled in. It is a close cousin of the Bronx, the gin-vermouth-orange drink of the 1900s, with curaçao in place of the Bronx’s dry vermouth, which makes it sweeter and more orange. It was forgotten with the Bronx and revived by bartenders who prefer it.
Sources
- Harry Craddock, The Savoy Cocktail Book, 1930 (book)
- Ted Haigh, Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails, 2009 (book)
- Difford's Guide, Damn the Weather, 2015 (reference)
Strength. About 1.47 US standard drinks at an estimated 21.7% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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